or
though I knew my father's influence was very great at the Admiralty, I
also knew that an excellent regulation had recently been promulgated,
which prevented any lieutenant being promoted to the rank of commander,
until he had served two years at sea from the date of his first
commission; nor could any commander, in like manner, be promoted before
he had served one year in that capacity. All this was no doubt very
good for the service, but I had not yet attained sufficient _amor
patriae_ to prefer the public to myself: and I fairly wished the
regulation and the makers of it in the cavern at New Providence just
about the time of high-water.

I put it to the ladies whether this was not a case of real distress,
after all my hardships and my constancy, to be put off with such an
excuse? The answer from the Admiralty was so far favourable, that I was
assured I should be promoted as soon as my time was served, of which I
then wanted two months. I was appointed to a ship fitting at Woolwich,
and before she could be ready for sea my time would be completed, and I
was to have my commission as a commander. This was not the way to
ensure her speedy equipment, as far as I was concerned; but there was no
help for it; and as the ship was at Woolwich, and the residence of my
fair one at no great distance, I endeavoured to pass my time, during the
interval, between the duties of love and war; between obedience to my
captain, and obedience to my mistress; and by great good fortune I
contrived to please both, for my captain gave himself no trouble about
the ship or her equipment.

Before I proceeded to join, I made one more effort to break through the
inflexibility of my father. I said I had undergone the labours of
Hercules; and that if I went again on foreign service, I might meet with
some young lady who would send me out of the world with a cup of poison,
or by some fatal spell break the magical chain which now bound me to
Emily. This poetical imagery had no more effect on him than my prose
composition. I then appealed to Emily herself. "Surely," said I, "your
heart is not as hard as those of our inflexible parents: surely you will
be my advocate on this occasion. Bend but one look of disapprobation on
my father with those heavenly blue eyes of yours, and, on my life, he
will strike his flag."

But the gipsy replied, with a smile (instigated, no doubt, from
head-quarters), that she did not like the idea of her name appe